3 August 1945

Walt is really feeling like the end of the war is near and gets a little philosophical about how it has taken four years of his life.

A transcript follows the letter images.

Transcript:

Aug. 3, ’45

Hello Honey

How are you all?—Still my Honey?—O.K.! I knew you were—I was just asking for the hell of it.—Have to make conversation you know.—I have a hell of a time trying to think of something to write about. I hate to write about the day dreaming I do cause it would make me homesick—So that subject is put aside for future reference—Mainly when I get home and then they will be dreams no longer.

I forgot to mention in the other letter that we are flying over the home islands of Japan—quite a long distance from New Guinea isn’t it?—Well—I sincerely hope that it isn’t too long before we lick hell out of them and the war will be over.—Won’t that be nice? Amen.

How is the weather back there Honey? Probably very warm now.—It won’t be long until Fall will roll around—My goodness but the summer has gone by fast—years are rolling by also—I’ll be 26 on the 26th of this month.—When I think back that I was 22 when I joined up it seems as thot there are a number of years wasted.

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I don’t know what I’d have done during that four years but I would have at least had an idea what the future held in store for me. At any rate I’ve had some adventure out of it all, [illegible cross out] most of which I have liked—the only drawback is that adventure doesn’t pay very large dividends.—If the timber holds together for a couple more mos. I’ll start in on some other phase of life and (I) will have you for a steady partner. eh what?

I hope you haven’t grown into a 25 year old woman—I rather imagine I’m just a kid at heart—Ha—Then on the other hand maybe a fireside will look good.—Who knows? So just hold your fire until I get home and figure out whether I want to withdraw into my shell or whether I want to burn candles at both ends—Ha—Silly talk isn’t it? But at any rate I’ve written a letter and say— you know——